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Many states are "at will". They can fire anybody at any time; for no particular reason. And; anybody can quit at any time; for no particular reason.

I believe all states employment is at will unless of course one belongs to an union which in reality most of those don't have as much clout as they once did. However with that being said, most employers still wont fire people for the hell of it though there are some exceptions. Temporary employment agencies for one. They tend to bring this up to anyone who dares to take a day off from work from them for any reason, even for funerals of family members. Also I think "at will " also prevents former employers from giving out questionable references to future employers when a background check is done. Eg: "..Jane was a great worker, always on time but she wore her skirt too high sometimes on the job so I think Jane is a slut, trying to get her male co-workers to go to bed with her..but she is a good worker.." that sort of thing. Today its pretty much only the dates of employment is given and if he/she were employed there. Personal opinions of someone rare is it given.

Last November UPS not far from me found themselves into some hot water over the "at will" rule when they hired a bunch of people as "perm full-time" complete with benefits and such and promised them that their jobs will be safe after the holidays. Of course once Christmas was over, those "perms" found themselves out of job and UPS cried that their jobs were at will. It would have been simpler not to mention the right thing to do had UPS told these people when they applied for work that their jobs were temporary for the holidays and not had those people think their jobs would last long after Christmas.

Either way it made a lot people think twice before looking at UPS for a job in the future.

What would you think it meant if someone told you that your boob waves are on full blast? I'm freaking out.

Lol. I posted the same thing that you posted just a second earlier about how, "You would be hard pressed to..." We were just on the same page and I wanted to come up with something more clever than 'Jinx'. Ah, nevermind I rarely make sense these days.

Lol. I posted the same thing that you posted just a second earlier about how, "You would be hard pressed to..." We were just on the same page and I wanted to come up with something more clever than 'Jinx'. Ah, nevermind I rarely make sense these days.

Wow, so we were sharing a brain for a minute? I thought you were saying my boobs looked saggy in my avatar or something...you have to realize, I barely understand basic stuff, if you go getting esoteric on me it's all over, my brain might explode. It's funny now!!!

Big corporations all over America have us over a barrel. They can and do pretty much whatever they want to whomever they choose because they keep getting away with it. There's no accountability. A place as large as Wal-Mart probably has as many corporate lawyers on staff as they do custodians. Sometimes it's cheaper for them to get sued and pay out a huge settlement than it is to change their policies. They don't seem to be interested in right and wrong at all. They have to answer to their shareholders, and they use strong-arm tactics to bully their way into communities who oppose their presence. They're so big that one little, faceless employee--in the grand scheme of things--is expendable to them. There's always some other desperate unemployed person ready to take his/her place anyway.

like many folks on here, the first thing i thought was 'why do they keep telling her he's dead', but then i figured that it was just for the sympathy of the story, no way do they tell her this everyday...they probably tell her that he will be home soon

after i read this story last night, i was sickened, but that is the policy and it sucks hard core. but from what i recall, they want all of the money paid out to the lawsuit, which is more then walmart's insurance paid out. ( i might be wrong on this). that to me is ridiculous. and of course after i read this, i was thinking, i really should stop shopping there... yeah i went there today. im cheap, i cant help it.

and as unfortunate as this story is, every big corporation has screwed their employees over every which way. i wish i could tell everyone what cingular did to me. i could make millions of people switch their phone service, but im not gonna talk, because the money they pay me out from my lawsuit will do all the talking that is neccessary. and you know what, if something insane happens and i dont win, then everyone will be reading my story on cnn.com too.

Actually WM doesn't want all the money in the settlement they want the $200,000 she has left from the settlement. They want to recoup their "losses" what they paid out for her medical bills. Still incredible. If they had realized what the policy was they could have sued for more money or settled for just the medical bills being paid for her lifetime. They had to know it's take more than $500,000 to care for her.

Originally Posted by JimC

Agreed; RaRa.

It should be equal opportunity; based upon willingness to work.

And many Americans; black; red and white; feel that it is beneath them to work for minimum wage; because they think they should be worth more; though they don't care to work any harder; than those who are willing to work for less.

I understand where you are coming from; my personal opinion was altered somewhat after a certain hurricane; when I saw Americans get lazy; and Hispanic people get busy.

I see Americans get a fire under their butts after a disaster. As I already ranted NO was a singular case of the lazies. They really did wait (still waiting) for the government to do the work for them. We all know that ain't gonna happen.

You're right, people don't want to work anymore. They won't start at the bottom & work hard. I personally do not know anyone who makes minimum wage - high school kids are the only ones who should make minimum wage, but even they get paid more.

Originally Posted by MbalmR

Big corporations all over America have us over a barrel. They can and do pretty much whatever they want to whomever they choose because they keep getting away with it. There's no accountability. A place as large as Wal-Mart probably has as many corporate lawyers on staff as they do custodians. Sometimes it's cheaper for them to get sued and pay out a huge settlement than it is to change their policies. They don't seem to be interested in right and wrong at all. They have to answer to their shareholders, and they use strong-arm tactics to bully their way into communities who oppose their presence. They're so big that one little, faceless employee--in the grand scheme of things--is expendable to them. There's always some other desperate unemployed person ready to take his/her place anyway.

You would be hard pressed to find any large corporation in America that doesn't do something that really sucks. Most every company has out-sourced their manufacturing, and has sub-standard warehouse type housing for their workers in China for which they deduct rent from their paychecks whether they live in these hot boxes or not, so I guess Wal*Mart is just doing what all of them do. Not much is 'made in America' anymore, or 'made by adults' either. I guess had I seen a documentary on some other store, I'd be boycotting it instead of Wal*Mart. Another reason I don't like going there is that it is so damn big, and I get confused and lost.

The next big business that I heard who is having a movie documentary done on them and how bad they treat their employees ...they actually CANCEL ones health benefits without telling them

Clear Channel Radio & Television

The Texas company that owns so many radio and until recently TV stations across the country. Clear Channel pretty much has destroyed an entire industry. And from what I read about them on the media websites, sounds like a cult for example their employees are not allowed to have contact with employees of other media outlets not owned by Clear Channel, must be on call 24/7 ( they have to always know where you are, even off the clock ) and cutting back so much so that it has even affect those who are in the biz and and who don't even work for them. Today if one works in radio and wants to go out and buy a car, even if he/she has good credit chances are they still could get turn down for the loan..because they work in radio and they can thank Clear Channel for that. Plus there are a number of cases where people who have worked for them for years only to find out they no longer have health insurance because Clear Channel had cancelled their plans without telling them. This happened to a woman who worked at one of their radio stations in Washington DC.

Not sure who is doing the movie on them or when it will come out ( I heard maybe by Fall ). Kinda surprised Michael Moore isnt behind it.

ANyone interested in the American low wage work force should read Nickel And Dimed by Barbara Ehrenriech. She goes undercover in low/minimum wage jobs to see if it is possible to live on the wages. One of them is a stint at Wal-Mart. Fascinating and tragic look at working and being at the fringe of making it. It's also very readable and humorous at points.

as far as employment goes, i know maryland is a little different from other states. if someone is "fired" there needs to be a reason and if that reason is not proven, then the employee can sue. if not, you can be 'laid off' (either way you can apply for unemployment). but there is a 90 day period after you are first hired when you can be fired without a reason. it is really hard to get fired here unless you steal, basically.

and as unfortunate as this story is, every big corporation has screwed their employees over every which way. i wish i could tell everyone what cingular did to me. i could make millions of people switch their phone service, but im not gonna talk, because the money they pay me out from my lawsuit will do all the talking that is neccessary. and you know what, if something insane happens and i dont win, then everyone will be reading my story on cnn.com too.

Ah Cingular....the same company who told my brother when he was moving they had to cancel his contract because the city he was moving to didn't have cell phone service of any kind. The city in question? CINCINATTI !!!!! Where do they get their info??????

As bad as Wal Mart is, I tell people that believe it or not they aren't the worst retail chain there ever was. That "honor" goes to Montgomery Ward.
Back in 1996 someone opened up a Monkey Wards charge account under my name and within a month bought over $3000 worth of stuff from them. I didn't even know about this until I got turned down for a car loan 2 years later when this "defaut" showed up on my credit report.

I called Wards I don't know how many times and either they laughed at my problem or said "...mmmmmmmmmm that is so weird...very weird !!!".
Whatever !! One woman who I talked to even told me that I should go ahead and pay the 3000 because it would be the right thing to do. Whatever !! Even the manager at our local Wards told me to my face that her chain sucks ass. She told me that.

After a number of years of getting letters and other garbage from Wards about "my" charge account I finally had to get a lawyer but by the time I was ready to sue, the chain went out of business.

I am glad they are gone though I heard Wards is making a comeback as an online retailer. Hope they go bust again.

And talk about company fucking gratitude. After 9 years I got a fucking 4 week severance pay! Seems like everyone I know that has gotten laid off from other companies got at least 1 to 2 weeks a year severance pay.

And then the day after I was let go they passed out profit sharing checks.

And talk about company fucking gratitude. After 9 years I got a fucking 4 week severance pay! Seems like everyone I know that has gotten laid off from other companies got at least 1 to 2 weeks a year severance pay.

And then the day after I was let go they passed out profit sharing checks.

Boy talke about feeling demeaned. I still fume about it!

My friend's dad just got laid off after almost thirty years. People have no shame.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. (AP) -- Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is dropping a controversial effort to collect over $400,000 in health care reimbursement from a former employee who suffered brain damage in a traffic accident.

The world's largest retailer said in a letter to the family of Deborah Shank of Cape Girardeau County in Missouri that it will not seek to collect money the Shanks won in an injury lawsuit against a trucking company for the accident.

Wal-Mart's top executive for human resources, Pat Curran, wrote that Shank's extraordinary situation had made the company re-examine the situation.

Deborah's husband Jim Shank welcomed the news. Family lawyer Maurice Graham of St. Louis said Wal-Mart deserves credit for doing the right thing.

"It's a good day for the Shank family," Jim Shank said in a statement.

Wal-Mart has been roundly criticized in newspaper editorials, on cable news shows and by union foes for its claim to the funds, which it made in a lawsuit upheld by a federal appeals court.

Insurance experts say it is increasingly common for health plans to seek reimbursement for the medical expenses they paid for someone's treatment if the person also collects damages in an injury suit.

The practice, called "subrogation," has increased since a 2006 Supreme Court ruling that eased it.

Wal-Mart's Curran said the retailer was required by the rules of its plan to seek reimbursement from the Shank's settlement. But she said the case has made Wal-Mart revise those rules to allow for flexibility in individual cases.

"Occasionally others help us step back and look at a situation in a different way. This is one of those times," Curran wrote in the letter.

Last month, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear the Shanks' appeal of a legal judgment that said they had to pay Wal-Mart. The appeal was the last legal recourse for the family of the 52-year-old Shank, a mother of three who was critically injured in a car accident eight years ago. She suffered a brain injury that took her memory and left her with very little ability to move or communicate. She has lived in a nursing home since she was released from the hospital. "It's been kind of hard on us," Nathan Shank, Debbie Shank's 17-year-old son, said at the time of the Supreme Court's decision.
Nathan Shank said that with her case in limbo, his mother already had lost a private caregiver and might be moved out of her private room in the nursing home.
According to legal documents, Shank's medical bills - totaling $469,216 - were covered by a health insurance program at Wal-Mart, where Shank worked nights stocking shelves.
Her family later settled a lawsuit with the trucking company whose driver was involved in the accident. After attorneys' fees and expenses, $417,477 was put in a trust for Shank's care. That settlement money, plus $51,739 that Shank will have to pay out of pocket, must be paid to Wal-Mart.
As is common for employer-sponsored health plans, Shank's insurance required full repayment of medical expenses if she received money from a lawsuit.
Daphne Moore, a Wal-Mart spokeswoman, said last month that the company sued "out of fairness to everyone who contributes" to the plan.
"This is a tragic situation," Moore said. "The reality is that the health plan is required to protect its assets so that it can pay future claims for other associates and their family members." The Post-Dispatch Washington bureau contributed information for this story.

I haven't shopped at Walmart in years. Ever since reading The Walmart Effect. It's the true story of how practically every business practice they use degrades it's employees, suppliers, customers and the economy. No thank you very much Walmart.

Over the years I heard Walmart was very homophobic. Usually the chain in on the hit list for those who support gay rights.

A few years back a friend of mine lost her job at Sears because she was a Lesbian.
Yet when she took her case to people like the ACLU and even some of those gay rights task force, they told her had she worked for Wal-Mart they could have done something BUT with Sears, they can't do anything.

I don't undersatnd that bit of logic. I guess its the big bully factor. Easier to try to punch the big bully and hate them than going after a smaller one. Had the chain in this thread be about Kohl's or even Office Max, I doubt it would get much attention. Even on here.

Over the years I heard Walmart was very homophobic. Usually the chain in on the hit list for those who support gay rights.

A few years back a friend of mine lost her job at Sears because she was a Lesbian.
Yet when she took her case to people like the ACLU and even some of those gay rights task force, they told her had she worked for Wal-Mart they could have done something BUT with Sears, they can't do anything.

I don't undersatnd that bit of logic. I guess its the big bully factor. Easier to try to punch the big bully and hate them than going after a smaller one. Had the chain in this thread be about Kohl's or even Office Max, I doubt it would get much attention. Even on here.

Wrong is wrong no matter who it is.

The real reason big muscle is behind the anti WalMart movement is that they are & anti union. The union wants to to take them down b/c they won't let them in. That's the ACLU doesn't give a crap about your friend. The ACLU is a crock anyway. They are a special interest group, run by other special interest groups. The head of the ACLU is a big fat homophobe anyway.

The real reason big muscle is behind the anti WalMart movement is that they are & anti union. The union wants to to take them down b/c they won't let them in. That's the ACLU doesn't give a crap about your friend. The ACLU is a crock anyway. They are a special interest group, run by other special interest groups. The head of the ACLU is a big fat homophobe anyway.

The supermarket chain Food Lion is actually more anti-union than Wal-Mart. One of our local TV stations a few years ago did a story about that. It seems if an employee even breathes the word "union" at any of their stores they get fired on the spot. Also Food Lion for a few years actually ran TV ads bragging they aren't union unlike Safeway, Kroger or whatever union chain was doing business in the same market as they are.. Sadly in many areas those ads worked as many union chains like Safeway, A&P and Albertsons/Acme had to pull out of a few markets as a result. Our local Safeway closed in the middle of the night and the next night Kroger did the same thing, all because of Food Lion. A lot of people lost their jobs and because they "were" part of union, Food Lion refused to hire any of those displaced workers either.

But Food Lion is a regional chain, not nationally so one doesn't hear "Food Lion sucks " as often as "Wal-Mart sucks".

I put Wal-Mart in the same league as McDonalds and perhaps Macys as chains one loves to hate. When those health critics went after fast food for making people fat, a lot of them only mentioned McDonalds. Oddly the other chains like Wendys, Burger King, Hardees rare were they mentioned. As if their food was better for you which of course it really isn't. Hardees for years actually bragged about the high fat content in some of their burgers but the health nuts oddly overlooked that.

And Macys, when they took over many regional department stores and changing names that have been around for generations like Houston's Foleys, Indy's LS Ayers or Washington DC's Hechts, not hard to find many anti-Macys folks around.

I've seen some of the hate leters from hard core Christian groups aimed at Disney, for giving health benefits to same sex partners of employees. It's hard to believe that people can hate someone so much for who they choose to love.

I've seen some of the hate leters from hard core Christian groups aimed at Disney, for giving health benefits to same sex partners of employees. It's hard to believe that people can hate someone so much for who they choose to love.

Not only does Disney support health care benefits for same-sex partners, they also practice what they preach with their customers. When we were @ Disneyland for my partner's birthday last Oct., we were treated like royalty at the hotel and in the park, and were referred to as 'family' in all communications from the hotel staff.
I love Disneyland anyway, it's my favorite place on earth, but their policies have cemented my loyalty for life.
Poor Disney gets it from both sides: from the hard-line conservatives for their policies regarding same-sex partnerships, and from the far left for their historical support of war-related efforts and continuing displays of flag-waving patriotism. Regardless, for me, it is indeed "the happiest place on earth."!

I've seen some of the hate leters from hard core Christian groups aimed at Disney, for giving health benefits to same sex partners of employees. It's hard to believe that people can hate someone so much for who they choose to love.

Until the day comes when Jesus himself comes down from Heaven and tells people exactly how he feels about homosexuality, the gay debate will continue. And even that won't stop some of these people.

I never really got the Disney protests though. I have heard pretty much all of the entertainment companies from NBC, CBS, to all of the movie and recording studios offer them. Hell I heard even FOX offers it. I heard the same thing about Six Flags. Where are the protests against them? But they seem to pick on Disney for doing it. I always believed there is more to their protests than just the company offering same sex benefits.

I personally HATE shopping at Wal-Mart, at least the ones in our neighborhood. The parking lots are always filthy, the shopping carts are always sticky and greasy, but the clientele are downright scarey, me excluded. Gang-bangers, Meth Mouth folks, and always some weird person at the door trying to get you to donate to a "cause" (scam). The only good thing about it is that it is open 24 hours. So at midnight when you are helping your kid with a big report or project due that day, you can always run out and get markers/glue guns/felt/beads/glitter/notebook paper/printer cartridges.

The son of a very dear friend of the family flunked out of High School due to a learning disability (that the parents were in denial over). This boy is very hard working, trustworthy, polite, kind-hearted, great personality and even an Eagle Scout. For years, he was our baby sitter for our two boys and we loved him as a third son. We even offered to pay for tutoring and/or to go to classes at the local junior college where he could earn his High School Equivalency. But he didn't want to, the whole school scenario was just too painful and demoralizing for him. So when he flunked out of High School, the only place in town that would hire him was Wal-Mart. He started off collecting carts from the parking lot but has since worked his way up to manager of the Automotive Department. He is such a hard worker that I bet he becomes one of the company's top managers. I am grateful to Wal-Mart for giving this young lad a chance when no one else would.

Nickel and Dimed is a great book and should be required reading for High School Freshman.

I have two heterosexual girlfriends who are both retired widows and childless. They were both school teachers and quickly realized that filing as a domestic partnership would help them out significantly. It was funny though because when they filed, the whole school district was shocked, assuming they were out-of-the-closet lesbians. Even though they weren't, so what?

Any person who makes $27 Million a year should be giving a lot of it away to the poor people. It appalls me when I read about some celebrity who has several mansions, their own jet, etc. show up for a charity event and donate a hundred bucks. The Bible says something about it being more difficult for a wealthy person to enter the kingdom of God than for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle. I have nothing against the wealthy, but it is obscene to have multiple mansions, million dollar cars, yachts, tons of jewelry when people in our own country don't have health insurance and millions of people worldwide are suffering from starvation and disease.

I personally HATE shopping at Wal-Mart, at least the ones in our neighborhood. The parking lots are always filthy, the shopping carts are always sticky and greasy, but the clientele are downright scarey, me excluded. Gang-bangers, Meth Mouth folks, and always some weird person at the door trying to get you to donate to a "cause" (scam). The only good thing about it is that it is open 24 hours. So at midnight when you are helping your kid with a big report or project due that day, you can always run out and get markers/glue guns/felt/beads/glitter/notebook paper/printer cartridges.

The son of a very dear friend of the family flunked out of High School due to a learning disability (that the parents were in denial over). This boy is very hard working, trustworthy, polite, kind-hearted, great personality and even an Eagle Scout. For years, he was our baby sitter for our two boys and we loved him as a third son. We even offered to pay for tutoring and/or to go to classes at the local junior college where he could earn his High School Equivalency. But he didn't want to, the whole school scenario was just too painful and demoralizing for him. So when he flunked out of High School, the only place in town that would hire him was Wal-Mart. He started off collecting carts from the parking lot but has since worked his way up to manager of the Automotive Department. He is such a hard worker that I bet he becomes one of the company's top managers. I am grateful to Wal-Mart for giving this young lad a chance when no one else would.

Nickel and Dimed is a great book and should be required reading for High School Freshman.

I have two heterosexual girlfriends who are both retired widows and childless. They were both school teachers and quickly realized that filing as a domestic partnership would help them out significantly. It was funny though because when they filed, the whole school district was shocked, assuming they were out-of-the-closet lesbians. Even though they weren't, so what?

Any person who makes $27 Million a year should be giving a lot of it away to the poor people. It appalls me when I read about some celebrity who has several mansions, their own jet, etc. show up for a charity event and donate a hundred bucks. The Bible says something about it being more difficult for a wealthy person to enter the kingdom of God than for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle. I have nothing against the wealthy, but it is obscene to have multiple mansions, million dollar cars, yachts, tons of jewelry when people in our own country don't have health insurance and millions of people worldwide are suffering from starvation and disease.

You said a mouthful GG...I couldn't agree more. How do they live with themselves? And why do people worship them on the altars of "Entertainment Tonight"?? Sports stars too, where is the GIVING ??? It's all about me, me, me for most of these jerks. Sure, there are exceptions, but not NEARLY enough for the hundreds of millions of dollars these people are collectively paid.

I really don't get it...and I really, REALLY don't get people who idolize these greedy, self-serving, ego-starved assholes. Are these really the people we should be looking "up" to ??? That we want our children to grow up to be like ??

If you've got enough money for a private jet and more than one "mansion," you've got too much money on your hands, and if you're not GIVING some of it away (and I don't mean in write-offs either), then I'd hate to be you standing in front of the pearly gates, waiting to get in...and waiting...and waiting...

Walmart warns of Democratic win

Wal-Mart Warns of Democratic Win

By ANN ZIMMERMAN and KRIS MAHER
August 1, 2008; Page A1

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is mobilizing its store managers and department supervisors around the country to warn that if Democrats win power in November, they'll likely change federal law to make it easier for workers to unionize companies -- including Wal-Mart.
In recent weeks, thousands of Wal-Mart store managers and department heads have been summoned to mandatory meetings at which the retailer stresses the downside for workers if stores were to be unionized.
According to about a dozen Wal-Mart employees who attended such meetings in seven states, Wal-Mart executives claim that employees at unionized stores would have to pay hefty union dues while getting nothing in return, and may have to go on strike without compensation. Also, unionization could mean fewer jobs as labor costs rise. The actions by Wal-Mart -- the nation's largest private employer -- reflect a growing concern among big business that a reinvigorated labor movement could reverse years of declining union membership. That could lead to higher payroll and health costs for companies already being hurt by rising fuel and commodities costs and the tough economic climate.
The Wal-Mart human-resources managers who run the meetings don't specifically tell attendees how to vote in November's election, but make it clear that voting for Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama would be tantamount to inviting unions in, according to Wal-Mart employees who attended gatherings in Maryland, Missouri and other states.
"The meeting leader said, 'I am not telling you how to vote, but if the Democrats win, this bill will pass and you won't have a vote on whether you want a union,'" said a Wal-Mart customer-service supervisor from Missouri. "I am not a stupid person. They were telling me how to vote," she said.

"If anyone representing Wal-Mart gave the impression we were telling associates how to vote, they were wrong and acting without approval," said David Tovar, Wal-Mart spokesman. Mr. Tovar acknowledged that the meetings were taking place for store managers and supervisors nationwide.
Wal-Mart's worries center on a piece of legislation known as the Employee Free Choice Act, which companies say would enable unions to quickly add millions of new members. "We believe EFCA is a bad bill and we have been on record as opposing it for some time," Mr. Tovar said. "We feel educating our associates about the bill is the right thing to do."
Other companies and groups are also making a case against the legislation to workers. Laundry company Cintas Corp., which has been fighting a multiyear organizing campaign by Unite Here, relaunched a Web site July 14 called CintasVotes. The site instructs visitors to take action by telling members of Congress to oppose the legislation.
"We feel it's important that our employee partners fully understand the implications that the Employee Free Choice Act could have on their work environment and benefits," said Heather Trainer, a Cintas spokeswoman.
Business-backed organizations are also running ads aimed at building opposition to the bill, including the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace, which counts several hundred industry associations as members. Another group, the Employee Freedom Action Committee, is run by former tobacco lobbyist Rick Berman. The groups, which aren't affiliated with each other, say they have a total of $50 million in funding. Neither will disclose which companies or individuals have provided funding.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has made defeat of the legislation a top priority. In the past six months, it has flown state and local Chamber members to Washington to lobby members of Congress. On Thursday, the Chamber began airing a television ad in Minnesota and plans to run ads in other states as part of a broader campaign.
The bill was crafted by labor as a response to more aggressive opposition by companies to union-organizing activity. The AFL-CIO and individual unions such as the United Food and Commercial Workers have promised to make passage of the new labor law their No. 1 mission after the November election.
First introduced in 2003, the bill came to a vote last year and sailed through the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives, but was blocked by a filibuster in the Senate and faced a veto threat by the White House. The bill was taken off the floor, and its backers pledged to reintroduce it when they could get more support.
The November election could bring that extra support in Congress, as well as the White House if Sen. Obama is elected and Democrats extend their control in the Senate. Sen. Obama co-sponsored the legislation, which also is known as "card check," and has said several times he would sign it into law if elected president. Sen. John McCain, the likely Republican presidential nominee, opposes the Employee Free Choice Act and voted against it last year.
Wal-Mart's labor-relations meetings are led by human-resources managers who received training from Wal-Mart on the implications of the Employee Free Choice Act.Fine Legal Line
Wal-Mart may be walking a fine legal line by holding meetings with its store department heads that link politics with a strong antiunion message. Federal election rules permit companies to advocate for specific political candidates to its executives, stockholders and salaried managers, but not to hourly employees. While store managers are on salary, department supervisors are hourly workers.
However, employers have fairly broad leeway to disseminate information about candidates' voting records and positions on issues, according to Jan Baran, a Washington attorney and expert on election law.
Both supporters and opponents of the Employee Free Choice Act believe it would simplify and speed labor's ability to unionize companies. Currently, companies can demand a secret-ballot election to determine union representation. Those elections often are preceded by months of strident employer and union campaigns.
Under the proposed legislation, companies could no longer have the right to insist on one secret ballot. Instead, the Free Choice, or "card check," legislation would let unions form if more than 50% of workers simply sign a card saying they want to join. It is far easier for unions to get workers to sign cards because the organizers can approach workers repeatedly, over a period of weeks or months, until the union garners enough support.
Employers argue that the card system could lead to workers being pressured to sign by pro-union colleagues and organizers. Unions counter that it shields workers from pressure from their employers.
On June 30 the National Labor Relations Board ruled that Wal-Mart illegally fired an employee in Kingman, Ariz., who supported the UFCW and illegally threatened to freeze merit-pay increases if employees voted for union representation. The decision came eight years after the organizing campaign failed, and four years after the case was originally heard.
"We've always maintained the termination was not related to the union and that there was nothing unlawful about an answer provided an associate about merit pay," said Mr. Tovar, the Wal-Mart spokesman. "Following the decision, we were considering offering reinstatement, but that is on hold, since the [union] appealed the decision."
Unions consider the Employee Free Choice Act as vital to the survival of the labor movement, which currently represents 7.5% of private-sector workers, half the percentage it did 25 years ago. The Service Employees International Union said the legislation would enable it to organize a million workers a year, up from its current pace of 100,000 workers a year.The Underdogs
The business-backed lobbying groups are running ads in states where a win by a Democratic Senate candidate would boost support for the legislation in the Senate, saying the loss of secret ballots exposes workers to bullying labor bosses. In one, they use an actor from the "Sopranos" TV series about mob life to hammer home their point.
Business groups say they're the underdogs since they will be outspent by unions by a wide margin. Labor has pledged to spend $300 million on the election and securing passage of the Employee Free Choice Act, compared with under $100 million by business groups, according to Steven Law, chief legal officer of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber's strategy is to focus on the Senate, where labor needs eight more supporters of the legislation to reach the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster.
"This is a David-and-Goliath confrontation, but we believe we'll have enough stones in the sling to knock this out," said Mr. Law.
Wal-Mart is a powerful ally. Through almost all of its 48-year history, Wal-Mart has fought hard to keep unions out of its stores, flying in labor-relations rapid-response teams from its Bentonville, Ark., headquarters to any location where union activity was building. The United Food and Commercial Workers was successful in organizing only one group of Wal-Mart workers -- a small number of butchers in East Texas in early 2000. Several weeks later, the company phased out butchers in all of its stores and began stocking prepackaged meat. When a store in Canada voted to unionize several years ago, the company closed the store, saying it had been unprofitable for years.
Labor has fought back with a campaign to portray Wal-Mart as treating its workers poorly. The UFCW helped employees file a series of complaints about the company's overtime, health-care and other policies with the National Labor Relations Board. Dozens of class-action lawsuits were filed on behalf of workers, many of which are still winding their way through the courts.
Wal-Mart has been trying to burnish its reputation by improving its worker benefits and touting its commitment to the environment. On the political front, it's hedging its bets, spreading its financial contributions on both sides of the political divide.
Twelve years ago, 98% of Wal-Mart's political donations went to Republicans. Now, as the Democrats seem poised to gain control in Washington, 48% of its $2.2 million in political contributions go to Democrats and 52% to Republicans, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, a nonpartisan organization that tracks political giving.

I'll still shop there anyway. I could careless about politics. It's a person's choice to want to work there with the way things are run. It's not like anyone held a gun to those people's heads who went to apply there for a job...

I'll still shop there anyway. I could careless about politics. It's a person's choice to want to work there with the way things are run. It's not like anyone held a gun to those people's heads who went to apply there for a job...

Kroger is having some political issues of their own right now, at least in Colorado anyway. Colorado is voting on "right to work" in November and Kroger is dead against it as they feel people who work for them should be forced to join their union no matter the position.

The big rumor out here is that if "right to work" passes then the chain will start closing up stores putting people out of work. My husband works for Safeway and he was telling me he that some of his friends who work for Kroger, even they admit that their chain is starting these rumors to scare people so Kroger can get what they want.

Kohls, Starbucks Coffee, Food Lion and I think even Target I have heard have been known to fire people right off the bat if they dare to even as much as mention "union" in their stores.

As much as I detest wal mart, I friggin hate that store , hiring illegals and such. I dont think they have any business trying to influence peoples votes. But I hate unions and am completely against them. All unions have ever done for me is take my money and left me high and dry ... hmm

I'll still shop there anyway. I could careless about politics. It's a person's choice to want to work there with the way things are run. It's not like anyone held a gun to those people's heads who went to apply there for a job...

Amen, if you don't like the work Move on, nobody forces anyone to work where they're not happy.